Welcome

Welcome to the POZ/AIDSmeds Community Forums, a round-the-clock discussion area for people with HIV/AIDS, their friends/family/caregivers, and
others concerned about HIV/AIDS. Click on the links below to browse our various forums; scroll down for a glance at the most recent posts; or join in the
conversation yourself by registering on the left side of this page.

Privacy Warning: Please realize that these forums are open to all, and are fully searchable via Google and other search engines. If you are HIV positive
and disclose this in our forums, then it is almost the same thing as telling the whole world (or at least the World Wide Web). If this concerns you, then do not use a
username or avatar that are self-identifying in any way. We do not allow the deletion of anything you post in these forums, so think before you post.

The information shared in these forums, by moderators and members, is designed to complement, not replace, the relationship between an individual and his/her own
physician.

All members of these forums are, by default, not considered to be licensed medical providers. If otherwise, users must clearly define themselves as such.

Forums members must behave at all times with respect and honesty. Posting guidelines, including time-out and banning policies, have been established by the moderators
of these forums. Click here for “Am I Infected?” posting guidelines. Click here for posting guidelines pertaining to all other POZ/AIDSmeds community forums.

We ask all forums members to provide references for health/medical/scientific information they provide, when it is not a personal experience being discussed. Please
provide hyperlinks with full URLs or full citations of published works not available via the Internet. Additionally, all forums members must post information which are
true and correct to their knowledge.

Author
Topic: too many t-cells? (Read 1804 times)

so yesterday i went to this support group for newly diagnosed gay 20 somethings. Im excited to join the group. it's full of crazy characters and seems like a lot of people with some good life advice. it's also full of some people who are really into the whole loud, outspoken, HIV pride, POZ tattoo things. This is a place I am definitely not at and it kind of fascinating for me to see but i noticed one of these guys in particular. he's been in magazines and has multiple pos tattoos. his facebook has his cd4 counts etc. anyways, hes so outspoken about his status but he seems strangely uneducated about the virus? he couldnt even list all of the meds hes been on. hes been poz for just about a year by the way. so, hes not the most credible source at all, but he said something weird that i'd never heard before.

he was talking about how sometimes you can have too many t-cells. like once you go on meds they can spike so suddenly and get so high that its bad for you. he couldnt elaborate really when i asked him how it was bad or what the effects were so naturally i thought id ask all you well educated peoples.

As someone who has had IRIS, I can assure you that it's not caused by too many cd4 cells. I had probably somewhere between fifteen and fifty when I experienced IRIS.

But it *might* be what the person in the support group was referencing, albeit incorrectly and without an understanding of the mechanisms by which the immune system functions.

It's always disheartening to hear people not only remain ignorant of the virus they have and the pills they take to treat it, but somehow develop an unwarranted arrogance insofar as "teaching" others.

The scientific method, sadly, is in decline in the US. At least outside dedicated university level education. This makes all HIV prevention harder, perpetuates stigma, and - as illustrated here, creates a frighteningly viral (pardon the pun) ignorance.

Logged

"Many people, especially in the gay community, turn to oral sex as a safer alternative in the age of AIDS. And with HIV rates rising, people need to remember that oral sex is safer sex. It's a reasonable alternative."

When I was newly diagnosed I went to a support group meeting also. I met this guy and I asked him what HIV medication he took. He didnt know. After a bit of questioning I learned he didnt know that much about his own HIV infection. Some people just aren't that interested.

I must admit i seemed more knowledgable than half the dudes in there, and man had been attending the group for months! I am an info junkie though and have to know absolutely everything about everything.

ive never heard about IRIS so thats interesting to read about.

unfortunately, this guy is the hottest guy in the group. there is a strict no sex or dating within the group policy anyways. besides i have a feeling that this guy would totally get on my nerves after the lust wore off.

Yeah, IRIS is rough, and it is a great lesson towards not neglecting one's cd4 count or going/staying off meds. A jump-started immune system can be a dangerous beast.

Logged

"Many people, especially in the gay community, turn to oral sex as a safer alternative in the age of AIDS. And with HIV rates rising, people need to remember that oral sex is safer sex. It's a reasonable alternative."

I constantly meet people at ADAP who have no idea what meds they are taking. It sort of escapes me how people can be that indifferent to something that personally serious.

I've been amazed at how people in my state are not only unaware of what meds they are on; but the ones using ADAP have been indifferent to the waiting list and whether the state was even going to continue funding the program for anyone. Even if ADAP assistance allowed someone to remain healthy with meds and they were able to stay employed, you'd think a demonstration at the state capital (a chance to make your voice heard during budgeting) would be worth calling in one day sick to make sure your access to meds remained for another year.